The Unknown Hero
by Shredjeep777
Summary: Set 30 years after the events of the Heroes of Olympus stories. We follow the story of Harry Andrews, a young demigod, who has a secret that will shake Olympus. He is the son of the maiden goddess Artemis. When the world is endangered yet again, he must set out on a quest to save his new home, and prevent the coming of something that even the gods fear.
1. Chapter 1

The Unknown Hero

Chapter 1-Finally off the Road

As yet another fireball soared over my head, I knew today was going to be crummy day. The first of the gangly creatures poked her head over the cliff, and her face lit up in twisted delight as she saw me. Then, just as fast, it disintegrated with a satisfying thud of an arrow between its eyes. There would be more, I thought to myself. There were always more. My breath came in long and heavy from days upon weeks of running from the packs of monsters after me. Different, they said. I smelled different from other demigods. Yeah, there's a reason for that, and that reason is why I am still alive. As the roars and screeches started to get louder, I knew it was time to do the thing I never wanted to do, but was forced to every day. Run.

Let me rewind a bit, I had been on my own for a few months now, ever since leaving my family. Over time, the monsters chasing me have just built up to the point, where I can barely hold them off. I had started in Boston, but now, based on the last road sign I saw, I think I am in New York. It was odd to me. I mean, I've fought monsters before, almost all my life, but even I had never seen these kinds before. Those fire throwers, the Flamma Lamia, as they called themselves, had an elderly woman's face with long, frizzy, black hair. They had a large crow-like body with long, spider-like arms. They had been after me since Martha's Vineyard, when I accidentally walked into a hotel convention full of the things. There were also those giant lizard-men that called themselves Lacerta vir. They could go from zero to thirty miles per hour, when they went on all fours. I have barely slept this week from running and hiding with these and who-knows-how-many-more monsters behind me. After Providence, Rhode Island, and a run-in with some unpleasant harpies, I was about to head south, but I got an anonymous Iris message telling me to keep heading north. It said I would finally find a place where I could rest.

First of all, a Iris message is a trick of magic by the goddess Iris, that enables you to talk face-to-face to anyone you want, if she's in the mood and a gold drachma never hurt. I know it's not wise to trust a message like that, but I was running out of options. And that leaves us with my current situation, with half and army of monsters behind me. Great.

I was sprinting, dodging between trees, with Flamma Lamia, or what I liked to call them, Fire Hags, behind me. I paused for just enough time to let loose two arrows at them, then returned to my marathon. As I burst through a clearing, I reached the highway. As I slid down the cliff onto the pavement, my demigod senses were pounding against my skull. Wherever I was supposed to go, I was close. I looked up the hill, on the other side of the road, and my heart did a double take. A massive dragon was sitting up at the top of the hill. His back was to a tree with something gold glittering on a branch, but I was too distracted to pay attention to it. The dragon drew its sleepy head and looked at me. I froze. What would I do if it charged? I had enough problems of my own, let alone adding a dragon into the mix. Instead of attacking me, it looked of the hill, behind it, and let loose a loud roar. Then it turned back towards me and started to rise. Oh great, I thought, just what I needed. My hands wandered towards the dual, green blades on my back, then I noticed it wasn't interested in me. Its eyes were fixated behind me, towards the sounds of the rapidly oncoming monsters. I didn't have time to process this because, at that moment, someone, dressed in battle armor, came over the hill and motioned at me to come. I start to race up the hill as the battalion of monsters chasing me, finally catch up with me.

" There he i-," a Fire Hag screams. Or, as much as she could get out before my arrow jutted out of her mouth. When, I get to the top of the hill, I stop in my tracks, mystified by the sight below. What should have been a large forest was a deep valley, with buildings centered around a circle of cabins. "Home," the voice from the message whispers in my head. "You are safe." I could have stood there staring at the sight all day, if it wasn't for a loud voice jolting me back to reality. "Didn't you hear me? We gotta' go! We aren't safe yet!" he screams. I look back at the dragon, as it started raining fire on the advancing monsters, keeping them at bay. The few, that were wise enough to go around the dragon, ran strait at the guy and me. A Fire Hag let loose a large fireball strait at us. He pushes me ahead, past the tree line and jumps after me. When I get my face out of the grass, I see the monsters stopped at the tree tine, held back by some invisible force. "Come on!" he say, "Let's you to the camp." As I look back at the camp, I see several figures running up the hill towards us. For the first time in weeks, I let out a sigh of relief. Safe at last.

Just as quick, I hear a pained yelp come from the dragon, as the monsters swarmed it. I look back at it with guilt. It wouldn't last long enough for those soldiers to arrive. So, with a tired sigh, I draw my two machete-like swords, which gleamed like green marble, and ran back out of the boundary.

At the bottom of the valley, an old, concerned teacher looks up at the tree line and watches the events unfold. "Poor Peleus," he thought. He quickly rises to join the soldiers with the fight, but is amazed, when he sees the rescued demigod race back past the tree line and start slashing through the line of monsters. "Who is the demigod?" he thought. "This will be interesting day. An interesting day indeed." And, on four legs, he trots out towards the valley.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Guard Duty

Drake POV

Drake's day had started like any other at Camp Half-Blood. It was a nice, lazy Sunday morning. Drake got out of bed, in the Big House and looked in the mirror. A few weeks ago, he was fine with the shaggy, black haired and slim bodied person staring back at him, but now he felt embarrassed. "Why?" he asked to himself, "Why is **he** my dad?" Drake's godly parent had revealed himself to Drake, four days after arriving to camp, but Drake was too embarrassed to announce it to Chiron. So, he was allowed to stay in one of the guest rooms of the Big House, for the time being. Drake got dressed and put on his armor for his weekly turn at guard duty. He walked outside to the courtyard to see Angela waiting for him. "Morning sleepy-head," she brightly says. Drake can't help but let a smile escape on his face. Angela seemed to make everyone's day better. She had been his best friend since he arrived at camp, mostly because they both had to sleep in the Big House. She was like the little sister one can rely on to be kind and sweet, albeit one he had to hold back, when she was insulted or got in a fight. Today might not be such a bad day after all.

After breakfast, he headed up Half-Blood Hill towards the camp boundary. "Hey Peleus!" he shouted, at the slumbering dragon. The old dragon turned and gave him a tired, pleasant groan and went back to sleep. Overhead, laid the Golden Fleece, which helped the magic borders keep every and any monster out of the camp. Drake took his side of the tree, opposite of Peleus, and sighs as he stared out, over the camp. He was told Camp Half-Blood had come a long way in 30 years since the, as it was called, Prophecy of Seven. Because of the increasing amount of demigods, the camp was forced to make more cabins of each god and goddess. The camp even made a small airfield for demigods being transported to or from other countries. The largest proof of the change would be the monument in the center of the cabin line. I was a large group of statues of the seven demigod heroes, with their godly parents, standing behind them. It truly was awe inspiring to see those heroes, who started out like any other, then rose to greatness. It was also very cool to see them still here, today! For example, Leo, son of Hephaestus, still works down in the forges, teaching new demigods smithing. Percy Jackson now lives as a teacher and a diplomat between Camp Jupiter, the Roman camp, and Camp Half-Blood. Life was peaceful at camp, or as peaceful as you can have while training and fighting monsters. Drake lowered his helmet, plugged in his earphones, and got ready to fall asleep.

10 minutes later, an ungodly roar from Peleus nearly made him wet himself. He scrambled up and looked over the tree line, down the hill. What he saw shook him to the bone. There were so many of them. More than he had ever seen at once. There were monsters of all shapes and sizes, and, in front of them, was a teenager. A demigod, judging by the hunting bow in his hand. He had dark, auburn hair. His face looked 16, but his body was a little short. He wore a green button down shirt over a plain, white t-shirt, with green slacks. His clothes were tattered and torn in places, and his eyes were dark and swollen. He looked as though he had not slept for weeks. Drake looked over his shoulder to see campers racing up the hill. Good, he thought, I will need the help. Drake quickly turned back to the guy and motioned him up the hill. Then, the first of the monsters broke through the forest. "There his i-," she shrieked. The guy had simply turned around and shot her mid-sentence. "Wow, that was a nice shot!" Drake whispered to himself. The demigod starts racing up the hill, as Peleus lets loose flames at the oncoming monsters. Drake then extends his hand at the guy, when he stops, a foot outside of the barrier. "What is this guy doing!" Drake thought, incredulously. "We gotta' go! Didn't you hear me? We gotta' go!" Drake shouts. This snaps the guy out of his pause. A monster lets loose a ball of fire, and Drake pushes him ahead and onto his face. Drake dives into the barrier as the bird woman darted at him. They hit the barrier hard and bounced backwards. Drake looked up and saw half the camp scurrying with activity. "Good," he thought to himself, "we were safe.

Then, Pelius let out a pained wail. He was becoming overwhelmed by the shear amount of monsters. At this, the boys sighs, draws two swords, and jumps back outside the barrier, and literally starts demolishing the group of monsters. Who was this guy?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Who is this Guy?

Harry POV

I rushed forward at the first Fire Hag and feint a slash at her legs. As she moves to block it, I spin around and strike down through her back, leaving a pile of dust. I spin around and find myself looking at twelve more of them, staring hungrily at me, as they lit their hands in flames. I take a deep breath, swirl my blades, and dive at them.

I twirl, slash, and hack my way towards the dragon. I didn't even know it, but I couldn't just sit by as it suffered for me. I dodge a claw from a Fire Hag and roll forward, then slash at the nearest monster, which disintegrated at the touch of Emporial Ore. I sprint towards he dragon, which was being surrounded by Lacerta vir, the lizard men. I could barely see its gold scales underneath the sea of green skin. I stab at the first thing I can and it dies with a loud hiss, but then all the lizard men in the area, stopped and turned on me. They slowly start to circle me. I keep my swords out from my body, warding them off. A small, impatient one jumps at my back, but I spin around and smack it onto the ground, with flat of my sword; then swiftly stab it. Getting a face full of monster dust, in the process. I hear voices coming from the hill, but I am too focused to pay attention to them. I ready myself for the upcoming assault, when half of the circle, to my left, disappears completely. As the monsters are distracted, I seize the opportunity and spring at them, slicing and slashing with coordination and precision. Flowing from one move to the next, until I am left standing in the center of a circle of dust. Breathing heavily, I turn towards the hill to see a row of archers and several other warriors rushing over the hill. I let out a sigh.

"You're mine!" a loud voice shrieks behinds me. The only thing that has time to rush through my head is "Oh no." I then feel a searing hot pain arch across my back. I could feel the fire and blisters forming as my skin burned. All I could do was yell at this overwhelming pain. I am, then, pushed onto the ground, and feel something heavy on my back. The next instant, a shriek, and the weight disappeared. Through the fog starting to cloud my eyes, I see a centaur with a bow trot up to me, and, carefully, place me on his back. "My name is Chiron," he says, as he turns towards the cabins, "And welcome to Camp Half-Blood. I hope you survive the experience." And I black out.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Ashes to Ashes

Angela POV

"I must take him to the Infirmary, immediately, or those burns will never heal." said Chiron. He turned and said to one camper, "Alex, go to Apollo cabin and get Bella, she is the best healer. Go!" With that, he and the camper ran off, leaving the rest of us with large piles of dust. As the other campers started to head back, I sigh and walk over to Drake. "Hey, you okay?" I ask. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," he replies. His curly, light brown hair hung from his damp forehead, as he took off his helmet. He wasn't very built for his age, but I knew better. I had seen him lift boulders in the forest, but that was to help me after I caused that accident. I still didn't know what had caused it, but I definitely had caused that avalanche. I was shaken back to reality, when Drake tapped me. "Are you even listening to me, Angela? Man, why is everyone zoning out today? Drake asked. "What? Oh, sorry. I kinda… blanked out, for a minute." I replied. Drake sighed and shook his head, and said, "I asked you what you thought about that guy." "I don't really know," I replied, "I didn't get a good look at him. I come over the hill as Chiron left."

I saw Drake gaze over the road, looking at the piles upon piles of dust and ash. His eyes stopped at a circle of monster dust, and started walking towards it. "What is it?" I ask. Drake stops and picks up, what looked like two, broken sticks. As he walked back, it became clearer, and I realized what it was. "It's that guy's bow," Drake said, "Man he is going to be pissed, when he sees this. He made an amazing shot, when he came through the woods. In fact, he-" Drake's voice is drowned out, to me, as I look across the road and forest. Who was this boy, I thought. It may have been the unique way this day started, or seeing Chiron come out himself to help, but she felt that something was changing. Something was in the air, and this boy was the cause of it. Of that, she was certain.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- A String of Yarn

As always, my dreams sucked. For demigods, dreams are never just "dreams." They could be visions of the past, messages, or showing us what is happening somewhere else. My dream was one I have had many times before. It started out in the snow, with a blizzard roaring around me. As it went on, I started to hear that accursed laughter, that echoed across the ice and chilled me to the bone (no pun intended). I would start running, hearing something heavy trod behind me. I would then trip and turn around, only to wake up in a cold sweat, but, this time, it was different. Instead, I saw a flash of light, and, then, I was standing in a large, domed room. The ceiling was closed but the stars were lit across the roof. The only light in the room came from a dimly lit fire, and, around that fire, sat three figures. As I slowly approached them, a voice said, "Come. Sit." I cautiously approached them, and, when I see their faces, I am neither scared nor relieved. They were just three old women. One pulling a string, as another took out a pair of metal scissors. Then, the other spoke to me and said, "You have a arduous task ahead of you." I try to talk, but nothing comes out. The one with the yarn looks at me, and says, "When the time comes, you will have to sacrifice much to save all you care for." The only thought I can think of is "What!" and "Huh?" but I still couldn't speak. The final woman, with the scissors, looks at me and says, "You are the one we have chosen. An unknown, amongst others. You will be the one, who will have to make the decision and risk it all." She pauses and adds. In an almost caring tone, "Bring a jacket. It will be cold." She turns back to the string, and says, "We are the Fates… and you will be the enforcer of our will." She, then, cuts the yarn, and I fall through the floor, and land on my bed, where I startled everyone, around me, as I shouted.

"Aaaagh!" I scream, and everyone around my bunk, with the exception of the centaur, jumped back. I breathe heavily as sweat pours down my face. What was that dream? The Fates? Come to think of it, where was I? I look around at the people around me, and think, "What have I gotten myself into?" The boy, who had pushed me across the hill, quickly said, "It's okay! You're safe. No one wants to hurt you." The moment he said safe, I finally felt the pain my brain had been holding back. My back felt like a horrible sunburn… times a thousand. My hand traveled up my back, and I feel a large a blister across my entire back. The centaur, who had called himself Chiron, placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "You were burned by the creatures chasing you. Your back will heal, with continued treatment, but you will always have part of that scar." "What is this place?" I ask. His attitude showed wisdom and concern, but I had learned to never trust anyone on sight. He replies, "For someone like you, you are home."

"Now, my new friend," he continues, "let us introduce each other. I am Chiron, and you are?" "I am Harry. Harry Andrews. Pleasure to meet you," I respond, as I shake his hand. He looks at me and asks, "Do you know what you are, or put simply, whose child you are?" I look at him, then look down, and reply, "Yes. I know I am a demigod, and yes. I know who my godly parent is, but I can't…" "Can't what?" he asks. "I can't tell you," I respond. He gives me another look that displayed his wisdom and care. "And why not?" Chiron asks. "Because its my secret and, besides, you wouldn't believe me if you I told you." He gives me an amused smile and responds, "Believe me. In all my years, I have seen and heard so many things that I can hardly tell the difference between the possible and impossible anymore, so why don't you try me?" "So once again," he says, "Who are you?" I look at him dead on, and reply, "I am Harry Andrew, son of Artemis."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Welcome to Camp

Silence fills the room. Every head turned, from every visitor and every bunk. Whatever Chiron was expecting, this wasn't it. For the first time in several years, his expression displayed shock. The boy next to me utters, "Wha-, what?" Chiron looks at me, and then breaks into a smile and starts laughing. I sit back, a little irritated. He was going to say "good one" or "yeah, right.' When Chiron stops, he says, "Well, bless my soul! That certainly was unexpected. I can see the resemblance though." Oh. That was certainly different than what I thought he would say. "You do seem to have her auburn hair, and her green eyes." The girl, next to the boy, finally asks, "Sir… you believe him?" "Why not?" Chiron replies, "He has shown no reason not to be trusted." Chiron collects himself, and turns back into the controlled, wise person… or centaur I first met. I could hear him muttering to himself. He muttered, " When Olympus hears about this… Oh, this is a problem." He senses my quizzical look and gives me a smile, then says to the girl, "Angela, please give Mr. Andrews, here, a tour around camp. Drake, I need to speak to you privately." He turns back to me, and says, "Welcome to Camp Half- Blood."

"You mean this place is full of demigods!" I exclaim in amazement. Angela is looking down, and simply gives me a nod. I raise my eyebrows. "What's wrong?" I ask. She had been avoiding eye contact since we left the Infirmary. She put up a smile, and said, "Nothing." After that, she seemed very cheerful for the rest of the tour. Apparently, the cabins here were for children of each god, but due to an increase of the demigod population, they had to make more cabins. The camp apparently also had a sword fighting, flight training, and many other activities. As we walked around, many of the other campers pointed at me and whispered to each other. It made me feel uneasy . Like an outcast. "Dude, who are you?' suddenly came a voice behind me. I turn around to see a satyr sniffing all over me. "Whoa, dude!" I exclaim as I jump back, "Stop sniffing me!" He looks up at me, curiously. "You have a strong scent," he said, "Even for a demigod. Whose your parent?" Before I can answer, Angela steps in, and says, "Hey Phil. I left some tin cans outside the Big House for you, if you want them." At this, his eyes widen, and he is gone before I can blink. "What was that about?" I ask. "Just don't go around saying you're a son of Artemis, until it has been proven," she replies. I sensed the disbelief in her voice. "Chiron believes me," I counter. This keeps her quiet, but I instantly feel bad about it. "Hey, look I'm sorry. It's just… this is a lot to take in, after running for so long." She gives me a quizzical look. "What do you mean?' she asks. I suddenly realize, I had not told anyone about why I was being chased. "Come on, let's find a quiet place to sit, and I'll tell you."

Thanks to everyone who has been reading my story. Sorry about the recent chapters being short, but don't worry. The upcoming chapters will have more action and give more insight on what has happened in the last 30 years, after the Heroes of Olympus series.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Babysitting Duty

Drake POV

Chiron paced back and forth, in front of me. I felt nervous. I had only ben in his office once before. It was small, with a beautiful view of the lake. His desk was mostly clear, except for a pile of papers of mail from distant demigods. In the corner, there was a pile of old, classical music. He stops pacing, and stares at me. I'll admit, it felt terrifying to be on this side of his gaze. "Tell me exactly what happened, this morning." I take a deep breath, then recall what had happened: from the dragon's alarm, the pack of monsters, and how Harry had sacrificed himself to save Peleus. Chiron was silent for some time, collecting all this information and processing it. "What do you think of him?" asked Chiron. "He was good, no denying that," I reply, "I can tell has been trained and trained well. But why were all those monsters after him?"

"I hope to learn that, when I have a chat with him myself," replied Chiron. After a moment of silence, I ask, "Do you really think he is a child of Artemis?" Chiron was silent, and then replies, "It is hard to believe. Artemis is a maiden goddess. She swore never to marry or have children, and she isn't one to go back on her word." "Then, why did you act like you believed him?' I ask. His face lets out a weak smile. "After all my years of teaching, I've learned that if someone has been injure, agree with them, until they are in a better state of mind. It can cause a great amount of stress," he says. "So he's crazy?" I reply amazed. Chiron chuckles, and says, "Oh, no Drake. In fact, he seemed, to me, to be one of the sanest people I have ever met." He finally says, "You may go Drake." As I get up to leave, he says, "Oh, also keep an eye on him, Drake." "Great!" I think to myself, "Now I take care of this nutjob, and keep people from learning my secret." "You'll have to tell them, you know,' says a voice in my head, "Eventually, you will have to confess, or **he** will do it for you." It was right of course. Chiron or Mr. D would eventually figure it out, and then I would get it for lying. It was just a matter of time. Well, first thing's first. I had to find this kid. Then, the thought hit me. He and Angela could be anywhere at camp. Perfect!

"Hey man!" "Aagh," I screamed. I turn around to be face-to-face with Phil, the satyr. "Don't do that man," I said. He was always doing this, just walking up to people. "Are you looking for that new kid?" asked Phil. I suddenly straighten, "Yeah. You seen him," I ask. "He and Angela are up on that hill," he replied. "Thanks man." I reply. I race towards the hill, feeling a bit better. If I had to spend time with the "Son-of-Artemis" at least I had Angela to help me stand him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Reflections

Angela POV

We sat in the shade of a wide oak, overlooking the lake. Whenever I came here, I felt that I had left all my problems behind. It was a nice day, with a perfect breeze blowing over the valley. After several minutes, Harry finally spoke. "This place is so peaceful," he said, "After running for months, it is hard to imagine that a place like this can exist." We sat in silence for a minute, before he spoke again. "First, let me tell you about my family. My mom, Artemis, met my dad, while she was out on one of her private hunts. My dad has the ability to see through the mist, and he saw her for what she was. Her campsite was very close to my dad's house, so that's where he saw her. One day, when he was coming home, she was fighting a monster. She got cocky and made a slip-up. The monster had her at its mercy. When my dad saw this, he veered off the road and rammed into it. She admired my dad and was amazed by his generosity, kindness, and determination. Then…" He pauses. I look at him quizzically. "I really haven't asked about what happened after that,' he said, "but eventually I showed up and my mom had to leave me with my dad. I got to see her every few years. She would take me on hunting trips. Anyway, as I grew older, monsters started appearing more and more. It was affecting my dad and step-mom too much. I was endangering them and my little, stepsisters. So, I ran away, and I have been on my own for eight months. But, as I traveled, more and more monsters were attracted to me. They said my "scent" was different from other demigods, probably because there has never been a child of Artemis before. After a while, their size kept growing. I just kept running and running until I appeared here, and… well, you know what happened this morning." I sat back against the tree absorbing this. He was just spilling this out to me. I realized how lonely he must feel. Being alone, without anyone for months. It was a few more minutes until I said, "I believe you." Harry looks at me with amazement. "I believe what you said, and I think you are really brave for leaving your family to protect them." "Thanks," he replied, "It's just… I've never been able to explain this to anyone." He gazes out, over the lake, and I place a hand on his shoulder, and tell him, "It's okay now. You're safe." This was where a bond formed. A bond that would withstand several hardships and several decades.

Harry thought to himself, "Safe? According to my dreams, I'm going to be anything but safe."

I look back at the camp, to see Drake running up the hill towards us. I brush a dangling strand of my brown hair, and start to get up. "C'mon," I say as I offer him a hand up, "Let's go." He smiles and takes it, and, together, they head back towards camp.

Thank you to everyone who has been giving me such positive feedback. Stay tuned! The next two chapters are where things are really going to start revving up, with new friends, enemies, and the reveal of Drake's hidden secret.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Let Me at Her!

Harry POV

Angela, Drake, and I, then walked around camp, laughing and having fun. It was the best day I've had in months, in years really. Although, I was pretty pissed when Drake told me that my bow was broke during the fight. I had carved it myself! But I still had a great day, and when dinner came along, we were able to sit together at an open because we all were sleeping in the Big House. When the plates appeared, I was looking around for a buffet; until, I saw people looking at their plates. Testing it, I said, "Hamburger." Immediately, on appeared on my plate, but before I could dive in, everyone rose and headed to fire, making offerings to the gods. "To Artemis," I whisper, as I pass by. Angela, Drake, Phil, and I all drank and ate, until our bellies were full. After everyone was done, Chiron stomped his hoof three times. Everyone became silent, and gave him their complete attention. Then a fat, pudgy man next to Chiron stood up, and said, "Yeah, yeah. Good to see you all again today, yada, yada, yada." He sighs and says, " No news today, except for a new camper. Say hello to Herman Drews." Chiron leans over and whispers in his ear. "Oh, Harry Andrews. Please treat him kindly, and so-on and so-forth."

Mr. D struck me as a lazy bum, but I could tell he was not someone to be messed with. He had that kind of tone about him. As he sat back down, I made a mental note to stay away from him, if possible. Chiron then cleared his throat and said, "This week's game schedule include: Capture the Flag, Chariot Races, King of the Hill, and the Canoe races. Tonight, we have Capture the Flag!" Which brought loud cheers from everyone in the dinning pavilion. "The banners are still held by Ares cabin, so let's see if they can keep up their streak,' he said, which let up approving roars from Ares cabin. Chiron smiles and says, "You have twenty minutes to prepare. Dismissed." As Drake, Angela, and I hurried, amongst the crowd, I couldn't believe how excited I was. Fun. After months of living on the brink of death, I was about to have fun. I could finally prove to everyone else, what I was capable of. Because I had only one thing to prove, and tonight might just let me do it.

After 10 minutes of Angela fussing over my armor, we set out, from the Big House, towards the woods. "So we just get to fight each other? What if we kill someone?' I ask, worried. "Don't worry. Our medics are pretty good at getting wounded off the field, but of course there are rules against killing and maiming." Angela replied. It felt good to have my swords back. After clinging to them for so long, I had felt exposed without them.

As we were walking along, I felt a hard shove from behind, and was sent face-first into the ground. A loud, aggressive voice behind me said, "Hey! Newbie! Stay out of my way tonight or I'll have to squash you like the little insect you are!" After Drake and Angela help me up, I turn around to see a girl flanked with two guys. I could tell they were from Ares cabin, due to the banners being held by the guy, on the right. 'Hey. Just back off." I reply calmly. She looks at me and laughs, then says, "Shut up, you stupid ginger!" There it was. The "G" word. The one insult I could never stand, when I was in school, but before I could take a step forward, I feel Angela's grip on my shoulder. "Don't do it. She's not worth it." She whispers. I take a deep breath and we start to walk away, when the girl yells, "Angela, I knew you hung around losers, but I guess you're into crazy now too!" Angela's face burns red, and it is all Drake and I can do, to hold her back as she screams, "Let me at her! Let me at her!" The girl and cronies simply laugh and walk away.

When Angela, finally, calms down, we let her go. "I hate her!" she utters angrily. "Who is she?" I ask. "That was Vanessa, daughter of Ares. She is probably the worst of the bunch, but the rest are a lot like her." Drake replies. I look at their retreating silhouettes, as the sky continued to darken. "We are going to win tonight," I said, "because I am not going to let them have the satisfaction." "_And maybe, I can get a chance for some payback_," I think to myself. With newfound determination, we continued towards the woods as a horn pierces the air. Tonight is going to be quite interesting.

**Stay tuned for the next chapter, for Harry in Capture the Flag!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry about the delay of this chapter. I've been busy with finals, but now I am free. Enjoy.**

Chapter 10: Capture the Flag

Harry POV

"Heroes! Champions!" shouted Chiron. All chatter fell silent, in anticipation. "Tonight, we are playing Capture the Flag. The rules are the same as always. The objective is to capture the enemy's flag and get it across the river boundary. There will be no maiming or dirty blows." Chiron's gaze lingered over Ares cabin, as he said this. "Please, play with honor and have fun." The crowd broke apart, and campers ran in every direction. Drake grabbed me and yelled, "Come on!' and the three of us raced off with our team.

Ares cabin had allied itself with the cabins of Hecate, Dionysus, Aphrodite, Demeter, Hermes #2, and Hades. Our team was made of the cabins of Athena, Hephaestus, Apollo, Hermes #1, Iris, and Drake, Angela, and me from the Big House. Angela had told me that because there were so many campers, Chiron decided to make a ranking system, and cabins below a certain ranking were in a different division of games, away from us. The leaders of our team were a guy from Hephaestus and a girl from Athena. Jacob was a large guy, and I had strong attitude to match it. He was smart, kind, and offered wisdom to new campers. Hannah was slim and nimble, with a stare that was cold and calculating, but the others told me she had a heart somewhere, deep in that black chasm. "All right!" boomed Jacob. Everyone fell silent. "We are not going to let Ares win again. We have the skill and the determination. All they get by winning is cockiness." Jacob smiled in a determined face, and said, "Now, listen to Hannah for your instructions. As Hannah stepped forward, her words were drowned out to me. A warm breeze had blown in, and seemed to wrap itself around me. A voice whispered, "This is the day everything changes. Be ready." I shake my head and Hannah's voice pierces my ears. "-and you three," she says, looking at Drake, Angela, and me. "Drake, you join Hephaestus cabin in the defense, Angela, you will join the front line with Hermes, and you." She stares at me with distaste. "You go with Bill, our best archer from Apollo, and help guard our West flank." She looks over everyone, and yells, "Break!" Everyone starts heading to his or her positions, except for Jacob, who walks towards me and places a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry about Hannah. I know how it feels to be the new camper, stuck where you won't be in the way. Be patient with Hannah, eventually she'll grow to accept you." I was astounded. This guy had gone out of his way to help me. "Thanks man. Hey, any tips?" He places a hand on his chin and thinks. "Stay away from that one kid from Hades. He will tear you apart. Also, stay away from Vanessa from Ares, if you can. But, if not, watch out for her gauntlet. Don't let it touch you. Bill should keep you safe. So, good luck.' With that, he ran off with his group. Then, a medium sized, blonde kid ran up to me and shook my hand. "Hey, I'm Bill Harper. Glad to meet you. Now, let's get out of here, before Hannah has a excuse to yell at us." And, then, we headed out.

10 minutes had passed since a loud horn signaled the start. I could still hear the faint shouts of campers, through the trees. I looked up from my spot, behind a boulder, at Bill, who sat perched in a tree 25 feet off. Earlier, he had handed me a small headpiece and mike, to stay in touch. "Anything?" I whisper. "Negative. Nothing" he replies. I watch him gaze over the opening, with the creek flowing through the center. He reminded me of a hawk searching for its prey. "So, tell me about camp," I said, "Anything weird I should know about?" A sharp laugh came over my headset. "That's a big subject. What isn't at a camp for demigods? But with people, there are weird ones in every cabin, but you should know about our Oracle, Rachel. She has red hair, like you, and she is really into art. She can be kinda weird and make you uncomfortable, but she can grow on…'' Silence. "What is it?" I whisper. Silence, then, "Contact, 20m." he whispers. I lean over and peak over the side. I can see a faint silhouette, moving in the darkness. "Ares camper. He's a lone scout. Let's see what he does." Bill whispers. I see him notch an arrow, never taking his eyes off the Ares camper. I look back, to see the camper wave on three other figures. "Smart brat must have made a mistake, that or we're lucky," one says. The middle figure knocks his head, and angrily whispers, "Shut up, you idiot! I know her. Worked with her. She doesn't make mistakes." I realize, with a start, that the middle voice was Vanessa. I slowly start to draw my swords, but Bill sees me and says, "Wait. Let's see what they do. Might learn something." The boy Vanessa hit says, "Doesn't matter what she does. She can't stop us and the 15 others coming." Again, Vanessa stops, and then pushes him to the ground. "Are you crazy?" she whispered angrily, "They could be listening to us right now!" How right she was. "Alright," Bill whispers, "I am going to take the sot. Just don't make any sudden mo-'' I hear the cracking of braches and see Bill falling from the tree. As he fell, time seemed to slow down, giving me time to assess the situation and determine what to do. I knew what I **had** to do, but it was going to hurt. A lot.

With a deep breath, I dive out to catch him. I was right. I did hurt. But a fall from that height could have killed him. As I caught him, I noticed a sizable dent in his metal helmet. "Well, well," I hear from across the stream. Oh great. I turn to see the four Ares campers run up and surround me. One kid had a bow in his hand, with a quiver full of metal-tipped arrows. He was responsible. I gently lay Bill down, and turn to face Vanessa. "Look who it is guys," she said, "It's the crazy newbie." This lead to a roar of laughter, from the group. This was bad. I could take them out with my swords, but that archer would have me before I could even draw them. There was also Bill. If I left him, he would be wide open. There was also that gauntlet, Jacob had warned me about. I still had no idea what it did. I decided to do a relaxation technique, my mom had taught me. I quickly took three, deep breaths. "Look at the runt!" Vanessa chided. "What's wrong? To afraid to talk?" My assessed the situation. The two cronies, on my left and right, had a basic sword and shield set. The guy behind me had the bow. To my front, Vanessa was holding a lance with a razor edge. On her hip, was a whip. On her left hand, was that gauntlet. It was bronze and jagged, with a large, red crystal on top. I think of several ideas, but each would fail, or leave Bill open. I glance down at Bill to see if he would wake up, knowing he wouldn't. But then I saw something. Something that could help turn the tide. I ran it through my head, and decided it would be my best chance. I tense my knees and Vanessa sees it. "Watch it." She warns, but then I make my move.

I do a flip in mid-air, heading to my right. I feel and hear the archer let loose an arrow, which narrowly misses my face. While suspended, I reach down for Bill's bow, and I notch an arrow. As I land on the ground, I spin around onto on knee, and let the arrow loose. I take no time to relax. As the archer fell to the ground, I reached down for another arrow, and turned to face the shocked expressions of the others. Vanessa stood with her eyebrows widened, while the other two had their mouths open. I slowly stand up, not taking a moment to relax. "How…?" Vanessa stutters. "How did you do that?" I shrug, my face stern, and continue to alternate the focus of the arrow at whoever moved. Then, Vanessa's face lit up red, in anger. "It doesn't matter," she says, "Our backup is coming, then you'll be overrun." Di immortals, she's right! Vanessa's face suddenly returned to its normal cockiness. "Go ahead. Shoot," she snides. "You shoot one of us, the other two will swarm you." "Maybe, maybe not," I think to myself. Bill then moans below me, and, distracted, I look down. The guy on my left senses my lack of attention and charges me. I snap back and, quickly, shot him on the metal guard between his eyes, knocking him unconscious. Curse my ADHD, I think to myself. I drop the bow and draw my swords, as they charged me. I duck underneath Vanessa's lance, then, kick her in the stomach, releasing a satisfying "Oomph," I turn to deflect the blow from the boy, then get up close. As he and I had our swords locked, I sliced at his knee with my other hand. As he loses his concentration, I strike against his sword, sending it spinning out of his hand. I then strike him with the hilt of my blade. "Three down, one to g-'' A searing pain races across my shoulder, and I jump back. I turn to see Vanessa with her gauntlet glowing red-hot. Dam thing was on fire! Fire had not agreed with me lately. Why couldn't it just be cold? She slowly walks toward me, anger in her eyes. She swings her lance, to which I dodge. I slice at the staff, which split in two. The throws the broken hilt, at me, which I easily dodge, so she has time to draw her whip, which, of course, light on fire. What was it with fire? Come on! She had obviously been trained as she slashed at me. All of a sudden, a large roar came from the other side of the creek. The other Ares campers had arrived. A smile creeps across Vanessa's face, but it disappeared just as fast. My team burst, into the clearing, to the left of Vanessa's reinforcements, with Jacob at the lead, holding the flag. They were too shocked seeing Vanessa and me, with three guys and Bill nocked out, around us. The two groups didn't seem to notice each other. I see Vanessa distracted and seize my chance. I swing my sword, but she entraps it in her whip. She tugs on it hard, and, then, I let it go. She stumbles back and I slash at her hand, causing her to drop her whip. I catch the handle, midair, and throw it backward, causing my sword to come to my hand. I slash at her knee, and she drops. When she looks up, she sees me with my swords crossed at her throat.

Silence filled the area. The only sounds were the soft trickling of the stream and my heavy breathing. I shot a quizzical look at Jacob, whose face was full of amazement. "Well?" I yell. His face breaks into a smile, and he bolts across the green. "Hey!" One of the Ares kids shouted. The others broke out of their trance, and yelled, but it was too late. Jacob crossed the creek, and a cheer erupted from our side. A loud horn signaled the end of the game. We did it. We won. I looked down at Vanessa and lowered my swords. I sheathed them, and then offered my hand to Vanessa. She bats it away and tries to stand, but falls back with a yelp, due to her cut leg. "Go on, take my hand." I said. "Leave my alone," she replied grudgingly, "I can do this myself." "I wasn't asking." I answer, and, with that, I pull her up and place her arm over my shoulder. I help her limp over to some medics from Apollo cabin, who began to heal her. "This changes nothing runt," she says grudgingly. "I know," is all I reply, before I join in the celebration. Jacob rushes to me and shakes my hand, excitedly. "That was amazing! How did you do that?" he asked. Before I can answer, a hand is placed on my shoulder. I look up to see Chiron, looking proudly at me. "Congratulation," he said, "I saw that shot, and from one archer to another, it was very impressive." I was in awe, and then Drake and Angela ran up to me. "That was amazing man!" Drake said, as he slapped me on the arm. "Not too bad rookie." I turn around to face a woman in her 40's. She had red hair and freckles. She was wearing a tie-dye shirt that said "NY Youth Art." Chiron walked up and said, "Harry Andrews, let me introduce you to our oracle. This is-'' "Rachel," I finish. She raises an eyebrow. "Already know me?" she asks, but before I can answer, Jacob picks me up and carries me to the center of the group. He hands me the flag and yells, "To the rookie!" Everyone on our team cheered. At first, I was stunned. These people had just let me in. I was elated, and it was one of the best moments of my life. It was a perfect example of how things could go wrong. A bright light flashed above me, and it drew loud gasps from the crowd. Jacob set me down, and looked up in awe. I looked up to see a floating green bow and arrow, in front of a silver moon. As it went it away, it drew remarks from the crowd. "No way," "It can't be," and "He was telling the truth," all came from the crowd. Chiron then started to bow and the rest followed suit. "Hail Harry Andrews, son of Artemis, goddess of the hunt." The next second, Rachel doubled over, as though she was hit, and her eyes lit up bright green. Every head in the crowd was turned, except for Dionysus, who stared straight at me. When Rachel spoke, it seemed as if it were amplified.

"The unknown hero must rise again,

but without help, he cannot win.

Travel south to the land of snow,

While new enemies continue to grow.

The ancient lord must be found,

hidden deep, within the ground.

It is meaningless to even look,

without the aid of the Sha'gril book.

Who started it all, may cause the end.

Whom even the gods cannot contend."

With that, Rachel snapped back and fell on her back. The only sound was the trickling of the stream. All of the sudden, another light lit up, but, this time, over Drake. His face had turned white, and he looked embarrassed. Above him was a rotating image of a lion's pelt. Chiron knelt again, but only half of the campers followed him. "Hail Drake Isabelle, son of Hercules, strongest of all heroes and guardian of Olympus."


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the looong (erm…7 months) break. I've been so caught up in other projects and schoolwork, mainly a video game that's in development. But now that I'm open, the rest of this story is going to keep rolling out. **

Chapter 11: What's the Plan?

Harry POV

Once again, my dreams sucked. Again, it was snowing, but this time, no creature chased me. Instead, I saw a cave, barely visible through visible through the blizzard. My dream changed, and I found myself in a forest. I could see a group of tents about a hundred feet away from me. I could hear laughter coming from the tent line, but what caught my eye was a girl sitting next to a stream about ten feet away. I couldn't see her face, but she was wearing a camo jacket and black jeans. She had thick black hair, with a tiara set atop of her head. She looked around what 15 or 16? As I pondered, a voice rang out behind me. "Hey Thalia!" a girl yelled. She turned around, and I saw her face. She had stern, strong features. I could still she was in command. She seemed to just radiate power. It felt as the hair on the back of my neck rose up as she passed by. The other girl ran up, in a matching jacket and said, "We just got an Iris message from Lady Artemis." "Mom?" I thought to myself. "What did she request?" Thalia asked. "She commands us to head south, into South America," the girl exclaimed. The girls started heading back to their camp, and Thalia said, "Whatever we are hunting better be ready, for the Hunters of Artemis are after it." With that, my dreams started to faze.

I wake up in my hammock in Artemis cabin. It was still to early to head out for breakfast, so I looked around the cabin. The room was set up like a small forest, with the pillars of wood, holding hammocks all over the room. Small bushes lined the center aisle, leading to a large carving of an open tent. The walls held carvings of different animals, like deer and rabbits. Overhead, there were jungle gym-like roots, which lead to a spot on the roof with a tree on top. I climbed up to the trapdoor, and felt the brush of the morning breeze blow past my face as I opened it. I climbed out and leaned back against the tree and looked out over the cabin area. Some of the Apollo kids were already up, dressed in sweatpants, playing basketball. I sighed and leaned back. What a mess. Everyone finally believed me, but now they whispered behind my back, and that was the least of my worries. What would the gods do now? I mean, Artemis pledged to never have any children, and here I was. A boy. And what would those Hunters do if they found me? I did not want to think about it. Then there was Drake's parent, as well. Hercules! The Hercules! Girls would now literally throw themselves at him. Life could be worse. "Hey crazy-head!" a voice yells from the cabin. I look down the trapdoor, and see Angela looking up at me. "Can I come up?" she asks. "Certainly," I reply as I pull her up. We both sit by the tree and watch the sun rise over the lake. For a few minutes, I forget the problems assailing my mind; until, a voice calls up at me. "Hey, Harry!" Drake yells up at me. He looks like he had a bad night sleeping too. He seemed tired, but he ready to tackle any challenge. "Chiron called a council meeting, and he wants us there." Angela crawls down the door and says, "Meet you outside." I take one last look out at the sun, and crawl back down. I got dressed in my green, Artemis cabin shirt and attach my two swords to my waist. When I'm done I head outside, and we head towards the Big House

Everyone is quiet as we sit around a long Ping-Pong table in the Big House. Sitting around the table were the heads of each cabin. Jacob, Hannah, and Vanessa, who had a crutch, were among them. Jacob smiled and nodded at me. Hannah's face remained stone cold, but she seemed a little less cold as last night. Vanessa scowled, but gave me a nod of grudging respect. As everyone settled in their seats, Chiron and Mr. D walked up to the table. Mr. D took a seat with a flop and let out a sigh. He waved his hand and a Diet Coke materialized in front of him. "All right," he says in a droning, bored tone, "let's get this over with." Chiron stood up and said, "Many things have happened very rapidly. First, I would like to welcome our first son of Artemis to the camp." Every head turns to me, and I give a shy nod. "I would also like to welcome our first son of Hercules." We all then turned to look at Drake, who gave everyone a nervous smile and wave. "Now, we must move on to our main subject. The prophecy given by Rachel, last night, was…most troubling." I look across the table to see Rachel watching Chiron intently. She noticed me and gave me a friendly wink. I only knew her for one day, but I could tell she was a kind woman. "The prophecy itself was odd enough, but the ending has me very troubled." Chiron said, "a being who could destroy the gods." He looked, sternly, around the table, and I could tell his eyes lingered on me a little longer than the others. "But a quest is a quest," he declared, "and I think it is obvious who this quest is for." Every head turned at me, and I look down thinking. The leader of Apollo cabin, Darwin, said, "I have a question. Why did the prophecy call you the unknown hero? And what is this Sh**á**gril book?" My mind remembered the words of the three old women from my dream. I look up and give him a small grin, "Let's just say I've had a long past, before I came here. But I have no idea what that book is. Chiron?" Every head turns to Chiron. He pauses, choosing his words. "I have never heard of this book, but I have some ideas of what it could. Although, I am not certain of anything yet." Silence filled the room. I stand up and say, "If it's my quest, I am willing to face it. So, what should I do?" Chiron raised his eyebrow, and said, "A little eager aren't you? Well, the prophecy said to head south, to the land of snow. The only place I could think of would be southern Chile or Antarctica." Again, the words of the old women echo in my head. "Bring a jacket," she had said. Chiron snapped me back to reality, when he says, "You are allowed to bring companions with you, on your quest. I would recommend Jason and Vanessa, but I believe you have you choices already." I looked at Angel and Drake and they both give me a nod. I look back at Chiron and say, "I have chosen." "Alright, Chiron says, "You may leave whenever you are ready, but I would suggest to decide on leaving quickly, due to the prophecy." To our surprise, Mr. D got up and spoke. He said, "Good luck to you all, in your escapades and blah, blah, blah. If you all will excuse me, I have to attend an emergency meeting on Olympus to discuss… certain matters." A lump formed in my throat because those "matters" were probably about me. Chiron then faced everyone, and said, "This meeting is adjourned. As we start to head out, Chiron says to me, "Harry, a moment please." Drake pats my shoulder and says, "We'll wait outside." I nervously followed Chiron into his office. He looked at me, and said, "All of this is happening so quickly, and we never got to talk yesterday. So, I would like to hear the whole story from you." I took a deep breath, and then recounted my story; from the monsters chasing me to what happened during Capture the Flag. After I finished, he leaned back, deep in deep thought. "Umm, there is something else," I nervously say. He looks up at me with an eyebrow raised. I tell him about my dreams, and when I tell him about the three old ladies and the yarn, he seemed startled for a second, but he hid it well. He shakes his head. "The Fates? What role do they play in all this? They rarely are involved in the quests of mortals and heroes," he said. He leans down to my height, and said, "I don't like sending off new recruits on a quest the moment they get here. I wish you had more training." I was shocked at his compassion for his campers. I had barely been here a day. "I have had training before coming here," I say. I start to tell him about the few months of training I had spent with my mom, out in the Midwest. At the end, Chiron nods and says, "Good. It was wise of her. Monsters will be more drawn to you than other demigods." I remembered the words of the monsters that had been chasing me. "Why is that?" I ask. "I thought it would have been obvious. There has never been a demigod child of Artemis before. You will have a "scent" to monsters, which they will have never smelled before. It will make them more curious than normal." I let that sink in. Another strike for me. "But I do have to ask you," Chiron says, "In all my years of teaching, I have never seen some of the monsters that were chasing you, such as the lizard men. Do you know where they came from?" I give him a quizzical look. "You mean you've never seen them before?" He folds his arms and says, "They may be a new breed. New ones pop up all the time, due to mutations or evolution." I feel my world spin upside down as I hear this. "Monsters can evolve?" I ask astounded. "Monsters are just like any other beast of nature, albeit there powers and intelligence. Over time, they can change. Look at what mortals call dinosaurs. What you call Tyrannosaurus Rex is an ancient ancestor to our modern dragon." This new information sent my mind rolling. Learn something new everyday. "Just one more thing," I say. "Fire away," he replies. "I need a new bow. Mine was broken, when I was fighting on the hill." His eyes lit up. "I have many different kinds, for my archery classes. Drop by the archery field later to try one out." "Thank you," I reply as I shake his hand. "Now," he says, "when do you plan to leave?" "How about in two days?" I answer. He nods. "Perfect. I will talk to Argus about prepping one of the camp's planes at the airfield." I thank him again, and I leave. As I look back, I see him sitting in his wheelchair, deep in thought.

Drake and I walk in silence, as Angela talks about what we would need and where we should go. I could tell it was a nerve-racking experience for him. "So," I say, "a son of Hercules." He remains quiet for a few seconds, before he says, "I knew." Angela and I stop in our tracks. "What?" "I already knew, who my dad was." Even though she had known him a long time, Angela was shocked. "Why didn't you tell Chiron? Or me?" Angela asked. "I was a bit nervous," Drake replied, "I felt that people would look at me and expect a big, muscular guy. Not the skinny loser I am now." "Man, people will accept you for who you are. Well besides Ares cabin." He smiles and says, "Thanks man. I appreciate it." "So," Angela says, "Let's get ready. I'm going to see what supplies we'll need from the store." With that, she punches our shoulders and runs off. "What should we do?" I ask. Drake thinks. "You said Chiron will give you a new bow during his lesson, but that's later, around 2:00 I think. Here's what we'll do. Let's grab breakfast then go play paintball!" "Let's go!" I say. As we run off, my mind forgets about all the troubles I had been facing in the last few days. But eventually, everything would come crashing down around me.


	12. Chapter 12

**Update: Now that I'm back to writing, I intend to have a new chapter out every week on Friday, unless something comes up. Please leave a comment in the review section to tell me what you guys think. It helps to hear your thoughts on the story.**

Chapter 12: Sparring Practice

Harry POV

Drake and I walked away from the archery field sweaty and tired. We had spent so much time playing paintball, we had nearly missed Chiron's archery lesson. I now knew why campers had nicknamed the course "Lotus." Although we were still in our heavy paintball gear, it didn't bother me. I was too busy admiring my new military-grade hunting bow. After trying most of the bows in the shed, this one had felt the most comfortable. Chiron had also supplied me with a quiver full of Celestial Bronze arrows, which doubled as a gym sack. We walked away content with our day. We parted ways and headed to our cabins to change. I tore off my multi-color gear, and put on an orange Camp Half-Blood shirt. It felt right for some reason. Drake and I met up with Angela at dinner, and since we were "technically" the heads of our cabins, we grabbed our dinner, offered a slice to the gods, and headed down to the docks. We joked, laughed, and for the first time in months, felt at peace. Even the looming dangers of our quest didn't faze me.

When my head hit my pillow, I was wisped away into yet another dream. My dream took me to a small, brick house. It took me a minute before I registered it was my old home! I had lived outside Boston, before I left, and it seemed as if nothing had changed. "Come on Harry! You can do it!" a voice yelled behind me. As I turn around, I see a man pushing his young son on a bike. My heart sank as I realized it was my dad, but a younger version of him, without the hints of grey hair. He was pushing… me, but a younger me. Suddenly, the memory of this day flashed through my mind. It was one of the few good memories I had from my old home, before the monsters forced me to leave. "It is important to keep hope. Without it, even the strongest of all warriors would fail, and that's a tactic you should keep in mind, young one." I turn to see a woman standing next to me, intently watching the delighted, little boy. "Athena," I say. She had dark, black hair and eyes, which were startlingly grey, like thunderclouds. She had on a simple white shirt and blue jeans. If I didn't know any better, I would have said she appeared as a normal mom. "You are troubled," she says, "Tell me what it is." A light smile forms on my face. "As if you don't already know what it is?" She smiles back, and says, "Yes, but it helps to talk to someone about it." I sigh. She's right of course. "I just don't want to let my new friends down. I show up for a day, and I am already leaving. It's the first time in months, no, in years that I have been relaxed. Now, I have to leave it behind." The goddess simply gazed at me, and then said, "I have kept a close eye on you. You have the traits that I admire in a mortal." I shoot her a look. "Really? What are they?" I ask. "You are cunning resourceful, and not rash. You think before you act, which is hard to find in mortals. It is a trait shared by, another mortal I favored, Odysseus." She pauses and her tone shifts. "But because of your isolation, during your months of travel, you are nervous around others. You also have a trait that I found in Percy Jackson, which was his greatest and worst trait: loyalty. You sacrifice everything to save those you care for. Be cautious of this." I shake my head and stare of at the man laughing, while he chased his son. After a pause, I say, "Thank you, but I don't think you came here to give me a list of my traits and flaws." She seems to straighten. "You're right," she responds in a business-like tone. "You have a difficult journey ahead of you. That much I can see. This quest will not be the end of your prophecy. Though, I can not see the events or outcome of your journey, I can tell this is only the beginning, a small part in a greater scheme." She pauses, then gives me a kind smile, and says, "Just to let you know, you are one of my favorite nephews. After all, without me, you wouldn't even exist. But enough! You need your sleep." She waves her hand, and I fall through the ground. Fading through more fond childhood memories that are, now, long gone.

I wake up the next morning full of mixed feelings, but they were in the back of my mind due to the unholy knocking, coming from my door! GOOD GOD! I'M COMING! Sheesh, it was 5:00 in the morning! I open the doo to come face-to-face with Phil, the satyr. "Hey man!" he shouts at me, "You up!" I just stare at him. "I am now." "Great!" he says, "I was sent to fetch you. Come on let's go." "Wait, wait. By who?" I ask. "You know man. Come on, already. Come one!" I could tell I would not be able to get through to him, so I changed and followed him towards the woods. The forest was quiet, but obviously full of activity. Well, it was obvious to me. I could spot tracks everywhere. I had learned it form my mom. My senses were sharper than the average person's. Eventually, we arrived in an empty, open green. There was a panel of desks at the center, overlooking the area. "Phil! Good, you got him." a voice said behind us. I turn around to see an old satyr walking towards us. He had a thick, long cane and wore long brown robes. He walked up to me and shook my hand. "Pleased to meet you at last. My name is Laryes, I am a member of the council." "Pleasure to meet you," I respond. "Sorry to call you out so early, but I needed to speak to you in private." Phil said, "Great, now I am going to get a drink. Maybe a Red Bull!" and, with that he ran off. "No!" Laryes shouted after him, "You know what that stuff does to you!" Laryes shook his head, and turned back to me. "Anyways, I wanted a chance to talk to you before the other members swarmed you. The council finds it… interesting to find the existence of a son of Artemis. Although the council intends to help preserve nature, lately many members have become self-absorbed and selfish, only caring for what keeps them in their positions. Many of them will ask you to support them. The support of the son of a goddess so tuned to nature would assure their places on the council." I cut him off, "Like you're doing now?" I expected him to be offended, but instead, he remained calm. "No. I am simply warning you about them. I actually would have been surprised if you didn't suspect me of this, but I swear on the River Styx that I am not telling you this to persuade you to support." I relaxed a little. "Thank you for your warning. I appreciate it," I say. He smiled and said, "You're welcome. If you ever require any assistance, I will be around to help. Now, if you could, please go catch Phil before he goes into a caffeine-fueled frenzy and passes out. Again."

I returned to camp two hours later, carrying a passed Phil on my back. After the meeting, he had ran off and had a little too much to drink. Red Bulls and a glass of wine was all it took to send him off on a whirlwind, eccentric rampage. After a hour, I was able to catch him and head back to camp. The other hour was spent trying to drag him back. I dropped him off in a bush outside the cabin line, and headed off towards my cabin. After a long, hot shower, I felt fresh and aware, but I had the sneaking suspicion, that I still had the smell of goat on me. I attached my swords, and headed out to the Pavilion and scarfed down a quick breakfast. As I finished breakfast, I decided to head down to the arena. I needed a little practice, before we headed out tomorrow. As I walk through the camp, I watch the other campers happily going through their everyday courses. It felt weird. To see all these people not afraid or worried confused me. Athena was right. I really was a secluded person. I shake that negative thought out of my head as I enter the arena to see Jacob and a group of small kids practicing around a group of wooden dummies. As Jacob saw me walking towards the group, he gave me a nod, as he blocked oncoming blows from a small kid, who looked as though he could barely hold his sword. I scanned the group to notice they were all around eight years old. "Okay kids. Listen up!" Jacob cries aloud. The young kids look up at him, with a look of innocence only a child could have. "I would like to introduce Harry Andrews, son of Artemis," he said, while he shook my hand. He looks at me, and says, "Harry, if you have the time, would you mind helping me give a demonstration." "Sure. Gladly," I reply. Jacob turned around and said, "Alright guys, Harry and I are about to demonstrate the disarming technique we have been practicing." "Yes, Jacob" they reply, in unison. I strapped on a set of leather armor and headed to the stand in the center of the arena. As we step on the platform, I draw one of my swords, and we start circling each other. "Okay, Scott. I want you to come at me. Don't hold anything back," he says. For the first time, I was able to get a good read on Jacob. He was tall and well built, but lean too. Suddenly, Jacob lunged at my left side, interrupting my train of thought. Man, he was fast! The moment I deflected his first strike, he sprung up with a strike to my head. I ducked and jabbed at his knee, as I leapt back. He narrowly blocks it and spins onto one knee. I try to seize the opportunity and take a shot at his head, but, fast as lightening, he whips up, and we find ourselves with our blades at each other's throats. He lets out a laugh and backs away, wagging his finger at me. "Well," he says, in an almost chiding tone, "Kids. It appears you aren't getting a demonstration, but a show." With that he throws his practice sword off to the side, and heads to a bundle of equipment on the ground. From it, he draws two black, ivory katanas. I draw my other sword, and my mind sharpens as a new wav of adrenaline kicks in. I click the butts of my two swords together, and swirl my double blade around into a defensive stance. A sense of sheer amazement was emanating from the young group around us. My mind went into overdrive, observing every detail and movement. I took another analyzing glance at Jacob. He had a feel of anger with him, yet a obvious sense of control. Those katanas looked wickedly sharp. Usually, the trade off for the length was speed, but with its slim frame, it was faster and lighter. All in all, a deadly weapon that brought together the best attributes, which was being held by a warrior, who clearly knew how to handle them. He stood in a classic dual-handed stance, one I usually took, with one hand raised above his head and the other held parallel to the ground. Moments passed before either of us moved. Then, he lashes out swinging one hand at my head, and the other at my legs. I swirled my blades and blocked his incoming blows, each of which was faster than the last. We grew into a pattern: pausing, going into a fury of stabs, swipes, and strikes, then breaking apart again. It went on for hours. I went on for so long, that a few of the kids left and brought their cabin mates, who also brought their friends; until the coliseum was filling up with campers. Each clang of metal drew a loud cheer from the crowd. As our fight dragged on, each blow felt weaker and slower. Sweat poured out of my face, as I blocked his latest feint and counter-feint. Finally, as the sun began to set, I felt the fight was drawing to a close. Either one of us would slip up or we would both pass out from exhaustion. I disengaged him, and finally dislodged my blades from each other. My hands were glistening with sweat, and the weight of my swords was slowly bringing my strength down. Jacob's face showed he was also exhausted, but somehow he still found a way to draw enough energy to be as fast as ever. With both swords, I was faster and had a greater variation of moves. He stabs at my head, but I twist and deflect his blow, behind my back. I turn around and swing full force, just as he was. Our swords went flying out of our hands and skittered across the platform. The crowd seemed to draw a unified breath. We both stood there, staring at each other, he with his one katana and I with my one machete. I make a stab at his hip, but he deflects it and knocks it out of my hand, with the technique he was teaching earlier. He stands with his sword inches from my throat. He pauses and the coliseum is dead silent. In his hesitation, I fall back, and bring the full weight of my feet up to kick the katana from his hands. I flip backwards and land on my feet. He stares at me with amazement, then slowly lets out a happy, tired laugh. He walks up to me and holds out his hand. "Well done!" he says, "That was probably the best fight of my life. Thank you!" I smile and shake his hand, as the coliseum breaks into applause. We both go pick up our swords and walk out together. As I got near the entrance to the coliseum, Angela spots me and runs over with Drake in tow. Jacob shakes my hand again and says, "Thanks again, and good luck on your quest tomorrow." "Thanks," I reply, and he headed towards his cabin. Drake runs up to me with a big smile on his face. "Dude, that was amazing!" he says. Angela slowly walks up, and says "Yeah, great job." I sling an arm around each of their shoulders, and say, "Let's grab dinner, then we'll talk about our quest." Drake ducked out from under my arm, and backed away with a smile. "Okay, dude," he said holding his nose, "but first, go take a shower." They start to laugh and run off towards the Pavilion. I stumble towards my cabin and I nearly tripped over a rock, but a man in his mid-forties caught me. He had black hair and sea green eyes. "Hey, you okay?" he asked. As I draw my energy, I reply, "Yeah, thanks. Just tired." "You did a great job out there. Jacob was one of my best students, and I've never seen him so hard-pressed." I nodded my head in gratitude, and he helped me back to my cabin. As I opened the door, I turned and said, "Thank you very much, sir. May I ask what your name is?" He looked over his shoulders as he walked towards Poseidon cabin. He is about to answer, when a little girl runs up to him and says, "Mr. Jackson! Arthur is stuck in the tree again!" He shakes his head and runs off, following the girl. He yells back, "I hope we meet again."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The Fallen Angels

**Harry POV**

I woke up the next morning and just lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. I thought about all the crazy things that had happened to me in the past week. I thought about my dreams of the Fates, Rachel's ominous prophecy, and Athena's words. They hadn't troubled me yesterday, but the more I thought about it, the more her words became confusing.

She had said, "Without me, you wouldn't even exist."

What did she mean? Then, as I saw the streaks of dawn stain the sky, I knew it was time. I got up and dressed in my camo pants and green jacket. I grabbed my backpack, which I had packed last night. Inside was a change of clothes, a small bag of drachmas, and $350 in cash. All supplied by the camp. I compacted the bow and set it inside the quiver bag. My swords were strapped to my legs under my pants. I took one last look around the cabin with the sinking feeling that it would be a long time until I saw it again. If I see it again. With that depressing thought, I set out for the airfield.

After 5 minutes of waiting, I finally saw the approaching silhouettes of Drake and Angela. Drake was dressed simply in jeans and an orange camp shirt, with a small war-hammer hanging from his belt. Angela was dressed in jeans, a black jacket and a red shirt. She was fiddling with something on her wrist, as she approached me, and I was pretty sure I saw a knife flash. Together, we nervously headed towards the airfield.

Chiron was waiting for us, in his centaur form. Standing next to him was a large, buff guy covered in eyes. They were standing next to the camp's old private jet. Over the years, the camp had raised enough money to buy about 10 planes for demigods that lived far away. Before we got onto the plane, Chiron pulled me aside.

"I just wanted to say good luck to you, and to give a word of advice. Be cautious. Mysterious things are at work here, and it unsettles me," he said.

"I will," I reply, "and thank you."

"Hold on," Chiron says, "Before you go, there is one thing I must ask of you. Out of the three of you, you have the most experience and training. I am asking you to watch over them. You will have to lead them back safely."

I nodded and shook his hand. As I walked up the steps of the jet, I took one, last look at the camp. I made a pledge to myself under my breath.

"I will return," I said to myself, and with that, I boarded the plane.

The tone of the plane really didn't match our moods. It was lit up and open, with leather couches and a buffet of food. I looked at my friends sitting on the couch, and they looked terrified and nervous. I had to be positive. I was leading this quest, and if I acted nervous or scared, they would too. I stood up straight and walked over to Drake and said, "Come on man. Let's get something to eat." He smiles and walks over to the buffet line. I look back at Angela and offer her my hand. She lets out a small smile and takes it, and I help her off the couch. As we sat and loaded up on doughnuts and muffins, Angela described the plan to Drake and me.

"It's simple," she said, "We will fly from camp to Dallas, Texas to refuel, then continues to Chile. Chiron said a contact would be waiting for us at the airport in Chile. That's about it."

I leaned forward and said, "After that, we search for the book. I have a few ideas where we might find it, but until then let's just worry about getting there."

They nod and a smile finds its way across my face. "Until then, let's kick back, relax, and have fun."

Five hours had passed since we had taken off, and in that time, Angela had gone to the bunks to sleep, while Drake and I played an old-school game for the Xbox 720 called Halo 5, on the widescreen. Soon the pilot, who I had learned was a nature spirit, spoke over the intercoms.

"Attention passengers. We shall be arriving in Dallas in 5 minutes to refuel. You shall have about 20 minutes in the airport before we are ready to depart again." At this, Drake and I walked up to first class and strapped into our seats.

"I'm going to walk around, and grab some lunch," Drake said, "Do you want anything?"

"Sure, thanks," I replied, as the wheels of the plane hit the ground. "I'm going to stay onboard and wake Angela."

I look out my window, at Dallas, and feel a tug of nostalgia from my travels. Finally, as the plane stopped at the terminal, I looked out at the flat grasslands, and said to myself, "It's good to be back in Texas."

**Drake POV**

I don't like airports. I never have. I always felt like there was someone in the crowd, watching me. As I walked towards Chick-Fil-A, I could have sworn that I had seen the same girl seven times throughout the terminals. Each time, it felt as though she was gazing at me. The girl was wearing torn jeans, and a black hoodie with a logo with the words: "Fallen Angels" circled around it. As I finally arrived in line, I was at the point where I was constantly checking over my shoulder. Waiting for something bad to happen.

"Can I help you sir?" the cashier asked.

This casual tone knocked me into my senses, and I replied, "Yes, thank you. May I please have 3 chicken sandwiches please?"

As she went off to get my order, I look down the corridor, expecting to see the girl standing there, but I didn't see her. Maybe it was all in my head. It wouldn't be the first time. Several strange events always happened around me, where I would black out and not remember anything. I had been meaning to tell Chiron, but I did not want to have it ruin my chance to go on this quest. The cashier returned and handed me my bag, and I turned to leave, but I stopped cold. At the end of the hall was the girl that I had kept seeing, leaning against the wall. Then, to my horror, another girl, almost identical to the other, steps out from behind her. And then another walked out, and another! The first one smiled at me, and even from this distance, I could still see that she had a set of wickedly sharp fangs. She casually looked at her nails, which sprang up into talons. I was gone before my bag of food could hit the floor.

I was never one for track, but the speed I was going would have put an Olympic athlete to shame. As soon as I saw our gate, I bolted inside. I sprinted into the jet, to see Angela sitting on the couch, reading a magazine.

"Where is Harry?" I almost yell.

"He went out to the store across the hall to get some gum and earphones," she replied, but when she saw my face asks, "Why? What's wrong?"

As I ran back out, I yelled, "Tell the pilot to get ready to take off now!"

I raced back up the walkway, and peeped out of the crack of the door. Three of the girls were standing in the middle of the hall. One was sniffing the air, then her eyes lit up and she smiled. I followed her eyesight, and my heart felt clenched. Harry was standing, with his back to the girls, flipping through a magazine. The middle girl motioned at the other two, and they ran off, back up the corridor. The remaining monster walked over to the waiting area, besides the store, and sat down, watching the entrance. Those other two would soon be back with others very soon. So, I took a deep breath, and opened the door.

I tried to blend in with the crowd, while simultaneously crouching behind several people. It wasn't the most graceful stealth maneuver, but somehow I managed to enter the store. I raced over to Harry, and yanked him around. The next thing I knew, I was on my back with a pulsing pain coming from my nose.

"Oh dude! I'm so sorry Drake!" Harry said, as he helped me up.

"Ugh. Why did you punch me!" I yell at him.

"Sorry," he replies, "You just surprised me. It was a just a force of habit."

I wiped the blood from my nose, and said, "We have to leave. Right now!"

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We've got several monsters here in the airport, and they know where we are."

I didn't know what to expect his reaction would be, but, instead of being scared, he seemed to focus and relax.

"Describe them," he said quickly, while his eyes racing around the store.

I said, "There are three of them. They were teenage girls with black hair and hoodies. They have fangs and-"

"Talons," he finished. "Did their jackets say Fallen Angels on them?" he asked.

I was astounded. "Yeah. How…how do you know that?"

"I met them the last time I was in Texas," he whispered. "You said there are three of them?"

"Yeah," I replied.

He shook his head. "That doesn't sound right," he said, "they usually hunt in large packs. There's bound to be more scattered throughout the airport. Let's get going. We need to leave. Now."

He slowly walked towards the entrance of the store, and motioned for me to follow.

I ran up to him, and whispered, "There's on of them on the other side of this wall."

He nods and says, "We'll rush for the gate. Don't stop until you're on the plane."

I nodded and watched his hand as he counted down. Three. Two. One. And we ran.

As I ran I heard a shriek from the sitting monster, and I turn to see her dive for Harry, with her talons extended. I start to call to him, but, before I could speak, he does a backflip as she dives under him. He fell and planted his feet firmly on her back, and landed on her. He stepped off and kicked her in the face, knocking her out cold. His brutal display actually scared me, but not as much as the shrieks I heard from the other end of the building. I turned to see fourteen of the monsters glaring at us. From their backs erupted large, black wings. Well, that explained why they were called the Fallen Angels. They all launched themselves at us, leaving mortals screaming in fear. Harry and I raced down the walkway, hearing the closing screeches of the monsters closing in behind us. As we got near the door, of the plane, we saw Angela holding the door open, waving us on. We dove into the plane, and she bolted the door. Just as she did that, the thuds of the creatures could be heard from the other side. Angela yelled to Jenna, and the plane began moving.

"What were those things?" Angela asked.

"Banshees," Harry replied as he stood up, and brushed off his jacket. "They have a large community here in Texas. That particular group, the Fallen Angels, is one of the worst."

"How do you know that?" Angela asked astounded.

Before he could answer, the jet lurched to the left. I look out the window to see the Banshees beating on the plane. As Angela looked at them outside of the window, Harry and I ran up to the cockpit.

"We have to take off right now," Harry said.

"We can't," Jill replied, "the runway is not clear."

"In about 40 seconds, we are going to have those Banshees inside of the plane. We don't have time to clear the runway." Harry declared.

Jill paused, then pushed the throttle and gunned it towards the runway.

As we turned into the lane, I paled and I nearly fainted, as I looked down to the far end of the runway, at another plane.

"Gun it!" Harry yelled, and Jane obliged. We shot forward towards the plane.

Jane kept looking from the runway to the speedometer, and whispering, "We're not going to make it."

Sweat was almost pouring off my face, at this point. Then, within 30 feet of the plane, Jane pulled up, and we missed the plane by about 4 feet. Harry let out a long sigh of relief, and patted Jane's shoulder as he settled into the copilot chair.

"Great job," Harry said. "Drake, go check on Angela."

I left the cockpit, and finally let out a sigh of relief. It had been too close. I found Angela near the back of the plane, inspecting the door. There were many notably sized dents imprinted in the door. The most intriguing was almost a perfect mold of a fist. She was shaking, but she reassured me that she was fine. As I walked back to the cabin, I saw Jane sprawled over the sofa, chugging down a bottle of water. At this, my heart started racing again.

"Who's flying the plane?" I asked.

She leaned up against the couch and said, "Your friend Harry is. It seems he know a thing or two about flying, and, to be honest, I needed the break."

As my heart rate returned to normal, I climbed up to the cockpit to see Harry sitting in the copilot's seat, and I settled into the pilot's seat.

"How is Angela?" he asked.

"She's fine," I replied, "A little shaken up, though. That was pretty nerve racking."

"Understandable," he replied, and we sat in silence for a few minutes. I could never get a good read on him. He always seemed calm and collected. He had not shown any sign of fear, when I had told about the Banshees. If anything, he had seemed to relax. How did he do it? How was it that, while the rest of us were terrified, he was at peace?

"Are you listening?" he asked.

I snapped out of my thoughts, looked at him confused. "What?" I ask.

"I was saying that you did a good job. I probably would have been torn apart, if you hadn't warned me about them." Harry said.

As he said this, I remembered something I had been meaning to ask. "You said you had ran into them before, what happened?"

He looked out of the window, and his eyes seemed to be lost in the clouds. Eventually, he said, "After my second extensive training session with my mom, about two years ago, she told me that my final test would be to get home…on foot…" He paused, and I let that sink in."

"Where were you?" I asked.

"We had been training in a small canyon in Arizona. Great place, very remote, but that was just it. It was in the middle of nowhere." He had a light smile, at the edge of his mouth. "I was only fourteen, with no money or help. Food was never a problem. For those first two weeks in the desert, it was water, which was the problem for me. After I left the desert, I traveled from town to town, week by week. My dad knew I was coming, but it just took so long." He let out a sigh. "But anyways, after a nasty incident with a Hydra, I had to stay and rest in Austin for 3 months. I ran into the Angels at one of the annual conventions, and… let's just say it was an interesting time for me."

He seemed sad, so I tried to lighten the mood. "So, what is your dad like?"

He paused for a moment before he answered. "Well, he's a doctor. Nice guy. Great with everyone, but after I saw the danger I was putting him, my step-mom, and step-brothers at risk, I left."

I felt so sad for this guy. He had to leave to protect his family. That's something no 15 year old should ever go through. "Hey man," I say as I grip his shoulder, "We are here for you."

He smiles and looks back at the clouds. The next moment, the plane lurched sideways with a loud bang.

**I have headed your comments; so let me know what you think about the new format of the dialogue. If you guys like it this way, I will go back and change the other chapters to this style. Sorry about the slow start and how it was similar to the original books, but now that I have written out the plot for the sequel, the story is finally going to start forming its own, unique identity. I am going to keep rolling these out over the next few months, (not once a week like I promised earlier, sorry), but anyways, stay tuned for the rest of the chapters of the first part of the Harry Andrews trilogy.**


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